Seattle

I am finally posting some pictures and the trip in Seattle and some of you can stop bugging me about posting a picture of him...:) haha...Anyways, the trip was great. We left Thursday and our flights were delayed an hour so we played a mad round of Go Fish in the airport lobby and Steven beat me...but only by 5 points. He unfortunately came from behind. Anyways...we flew into Seattle around 9pm and met up with his family at the hotel. It was so fun to meet them and see how similar he is to the rest of them and his Mom is just a doll. I would totally hang out with her all day. And I shared a room with her and 2 of his sisters and they were all so nice and so accomodating but I felt so bad taking up a bed all to myself. I offered to take the pull out bed and was more then willing but his sister Julie said they were under very strict orders and I would not be sleeping on the pull-out bed. What a cute boy!

Friday we went down to the Expo in downtown Seattle so all the runners in the group could register. And here is Steven with his cute nephew Chase. He seriously was such a good baby and so dang cute.

Here is a picture from the ferry. It was so pretty and I had never been on a ferry since when we were in New York we had decided not to go to Statton Island which I am still sad about to this day.

Moving on...here is the Space Needle. There was no time and just not really necessary and when you are working with 26 people and trying to accomodate, you just go with the flow. It was great!

Steven and I with his niece Madison.

The houses which were beautiful and I certainly wouldn't mind living in one of those. Well maybe like a vacation home.

This picture is so funny. This is Steven's nephew Evan and he is one bundle of energy and so dang cute. When we were walking to get back on the ferry, I turned around and I just had to take a picture of this. It is probably one of those moments where you had to be there but just the look on Evan's face and how happy he was to be holding his Uncle David's hand was awesome.

Oh and here is Steven finishing the big race. And him trying to shield his face from the camera. But this is a funny story. We were suppose to leave the hotel at 7:30am to get there by 8:30 to secure a spot to see Steven finish but we were trying to get everyything figured out with nephews and nieces and who was watching who, and who was going, and who was staying, and what cars to take that we didn't leave the hotel until around 8:10 and so we finally got down there around 8:25am and Kim his sister and I hopped out of the cars while the rest of them parked so we could hopefully see Steven finish. So as we are walking to the finish line I turn and here comes Steven. It was like perfect timing. It couldn't have been better and I seriously would have felt so bad if I would have missed it. And I got a picture just in time. He finished the half in an hour and 26 minutes and placed 75th out of 15,000 runners. Makes you kind of sick huh? Makes me sick. Good job Steven!

Hungry after the big run. I was hungry too but I didn't run 13.1 miles.

With his sister Kim and brother David.

Steven and his sister Danelle. I hope I am spelling that right. She did the half too and finished in 2 hours which is really, really good. Her 2 little boys Chase and Evan are adorable.

Steven with his parents and sister.

We took some of the kids to Wendy's for lunch and he let his niece Kylee drive.

These are his 2 nephews Parker and Evan and we found them pulling the toilet paper from the roll and it was just so funny. Especially because earlier we had found them pulling out the kleenex all over the floor of the hotel. I guess it was just one of those moments where you had to be there but trust me...it was funny.

And me and Steven at BJ's for dinner that night with his family. I wish I had a picture of the entire family but I was lacking on the picture taking. Not sure what my problem was but I think I left my camera charger in Provo and so I used Steven's the whole time but he couldn't find his charger so I was afraid his camera would die but it held strong till the end.

It was a successful trip and it was great to meet his family. It was fun to see him in his own element and they were seriously all so wonderful.

Now for some not good news....I talked to my supervisor today and Kids On the Move didn't get the bid which means I didn't get the job since it didn't open up. She wants me to apply for a Family Advocate position but I could do that down here and with the bid being denied, it is kind of my answer on whether I should move back. It is kind of strange feeling since I have been kind of leaning on that for so long but it will be good to stay home and find a job here. Everything happens for a reason and I feel good about staying in Mesa. And now I can be here when the baby is born!!

Book Club

This movie is coming out in August and so Stacie and I
decided we should read it before it comes out. So we went to
Borders late Saturday night and I started reading it right away.

(There was only one copy and I have a very nice
friend...so thanks Stace...you bought yourself a copy...right?)

So now...we have started a book club
and this is our first read. I am very excited about this.

I have always wanted to do a book club and Kelli and
Code are going to join. If you want to read along...you should!
I can't wait to build up my book collection.

Pivot

Whenever I am needing a good laugh, I watch this. I laugh so hard everytime. And I apologize for the beginning part...

Seattle

I am flying out to Seattle in a week for Steven's half marathon and to meet some of his family. I have never been to Seattle so I am very excited. It will be a fun trip. I sure hope we get to go on the space needle.

Piano Project

Now that I have a lot more free time at night, this is my next piano project. Wish me luck...I am going to need it!!

Weekend

So it was a great birthday weekend! Friday morning I had my bone marrow but that all went smoothly. I went home after and took a quick nap and then Stacie took me out to eat at Liberty Market in downtown Gilbert and the food was excellent. And the company of course. I am excited for this Friday b/c it will be Stacie's birthday and the tables will be turned. She needs to tell me where she wants to go eat on Friday. Friday night we were going to go goofy golfing but decided to go Saturday night instead so Rachel, Alan and Stacie could come. So my family just had pizza and cake and ice cream and my friend Steven came over and we played card games.

Saturday morning my Mom and I went to Rachel's ultrasound and Rachel is having another BOY!! We are excited. We were all kind of hoping for a girl but 3 boys will be super fun too. He will be so dang cute. I am excited. And then Saturday afternoon, Rachel and Alan invited me and Steven over for a barbecue and to swim. And then that night we all went goofy golfing at Golfland and I wish I had more pictures. But the whole family was there (minus Spencer) and Stacie and Steven and Steven ended up beating all of us. We were all quite impressed actually.

So the birthday was awesome and it is good to be home to celebrate even though I missed sharing it with Amy and Code and Kelli and Lena.

So some of you may be wondering who Steven is. It is kind of a funny story. He lived in Provo in the Omni with Code, Stacie, Kelli, Lena, Jo, Dayna, Chelsey and everybody and I have been hearing about this Steven guy from them occasionally so when I came down here I went to a fireside with Stacie and he was there. We chatted a little bit but then he got my number from Stacie and we went out last Friday and have been together everyday since. Kind of funny and crazy I know. I am not sure what will happen of course but he is really fun to be around and my family loves him already. He has already had 2 Sunday dinners with us, 3 game nights and is playing basketball with my brothers and Dad tomorrow at the Stake Center. It's not the best timing with me possibly moving back to Provo but I think I will just ride this wave and see where it takes me. And it is nice because he is older (29) and has an awesome job and is very established and just super solid in the Gospel. And he runs marathons. How great is that! I already told him we cannot run together. Sorry I don't have a picture.

Life is good! I am getting more use to being home even though I do miss everyone up in Provo. But I feel good about being home right now so I just need to remain prayerful in deciding what I need to do in the next little while. I think this next year is going to be a good one!!

24

Yep....

I am going

to be this age

in 16 minutes....
It's like a whole new age group...

Can't believe it...

Pohnpei

The top picture is a picture of what the island of Pohnpei looks like where my brother Spencer is serving. The bottom one is one the mission president's wife took as they were flying to it. Pretty crazy huh?? Ya know...how can the church not be true for a 19 year old boy to leave his car, school, golf, family, friends and girlfriend to travel to this island, all the way on the other side of the world to speak Pohnpeian or however you spell it, and teach a bunch of people he doesn't even know, about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and the Savior. I think I might cry....pretty cool though huh? There is a lot of ocean and world out there!

Update

This is what I am buying my sister if it is a girl...



I am not quite sure why my blog sometimes erases posts. It makes me kind of nervous of why it happens at times. Anyways...I will re-write an update. I am back in the mother land and am liking it...at times. It has been an adjustment but I am getting more use to it.



Job status: I am still looking for a job as a speech aid in the fall but I am headed down to the state education dept tomorrow to put in my resume and transcripts and all that good stuff. But I won't find out about the job in Orem until the end of the month and I will take it if it opens up so I will remain patient. There is a speech/occupational therapy agency down here that is hiring and I have major connections with my parents being in the education field and the lady is anxious to interview me so hopefully they won't want a committment from me before I know about the job in Orem. Yikes! But looking for a job is no fun. Being in school was much easier in some ways.



Family status: My sister finds out if it is a boy or girl on Friday and guess who gets to go....me!!! Alan has to work so I am going. I have never been to an ultrasound before and I will be there to find out if it is a XY or an XX. I am excited.



Boy status: I went on a date last week and I am going on one this Friday but nothing huge. I have realized the older the guy, the more aggressive. It sure doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. And the one you actually want to date...he is as slow as TAR or just not interested. Why is that?



Work Status: I start teaching piano next week at a school. I am excited for that. Actually it is a keyboarding class and keyboards are horrible to play and teach from so it should be interesting. But it is a job and I need to be grateful.



Health status: I have my last bone marrow biopsy for a whole year next Friday...which is...my birthday!! I have it on my bday at 6am on the dot. Oh well. I want the anesthesa and that is the only opening they had. Beggers can't be choosers! Pray for clean results.



Well that is it for now. After work I am headed to Stacie's to watch a DVD on the making of "Michael Phelps" Yes...that is what our lives have come down to.